09.05.2006

Construction companies hit for £350,000

Doyle Construction Limited of Welwyn Garden City and Herts and Exterior International Plc of London, EC2 were fined a total of £350,000, following the investigation into a fatal accident on a building site on the sixth of August 2002, at Albion Riverside Development, Hester Road, Battersea, London SW11.

Jack Tangney, a 29 year old from New Zealand died after he was struck by a large section of timber shuttering which fell while being lifted from the ground to the 9th floor.

Tangney, a foreman for Doyle’s was acting as a banksman, giving instructions by radio to the crane driver who was carrying out a blind lift.

The shuttering caught on some protruding scaffolding and came free from its slings, falling on top of Tangney who was standing under the load. He had worked acted as banks man on numerous occasions during the build. At the inquest the fact that he had not proof of competence as a banksman was raised.

Investigating HSE inspector Emma Davies said

"The risk of serious injury, or worse from badly planned lifting operations is well known in the industry; as are the measures needed to manage them.

Had these construction companies carried out an appropriate risk
assessment, Mr Tangney would be alive today. This avoidable incident is an example of how badly things can go wrong when lifting operations are not planned or supervised properly.

When carrying out lifting operations on
site, three key elements must be in place to ensure the safety of the lift;
- A competent person is involved in planning the lift
- The lift is adequately supervised and
- The lift is carried out in a safe manner. "

John Doyle Construction Ltd was the concrete subcontractor on the site and Exterior International the principal contractor. They had both previously pleaded guilty to the charges.

Tangney's employer, John Doyle Construction, was fined £200,000 for contravening section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and £50,000 for contravening section 3(1) of the same Act.

Exterior International Plc were fined £100,000 for contravening section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.

Legal costs are to be agreed at a further hearing.